The sweet pancake at Zoomaak in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on April 22nd, 2015.

The sweet pancake at Zoomaak in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on April 22nd, 2015.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

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Happy hour at Zoomaak in San Francisco.

Happy hour at Zoomaak in San Francisco.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

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The interior of Zoomaak, a colorful Korean wine bar in San Francisco.

The interior of Zoomaak, a colorful Korean wine bar in San Francisco.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

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Happy hour at Zoomaak in San Francisco.

Happy hour at Zoomaak in San Francisco.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

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Happy hour at Zoomaak in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on April 22nd, 2015.

Happy hour at Zoomaak in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on April 22nd, 2015.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

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Happy hour at Zoomaak in San Francisco.

Happy hour at Zoomaak in San Francisco.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

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The bathroom at Zoomaak in San Francisco.

The bathroom at Zoomaak in San Francisco.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

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Happy hour at Zoomaak in San Francisco.

Happy hour at Zoomaak in San Francisco.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

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Happy hour at Zoomaak in San Francisco.

Happy hour at Zoomaak in San Francisco.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

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Zoomaak as colorful as its Korean drinks

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Walking into Zoomaak, I counted 17 shimmering disco balls hanging from the ceiling. The neon-lit tables change color every few seconds, as if you’re dining on a lava lamp. Techno music booms in the background. Yet the most entertaining — and vibrant — things about the little Fillmore Street bar are its food and drink.

Zoomaak is a Korean wine bar specializing in makgollie (also spelled makgeolli), a cloudy alcoholic beverage usually made with rice and nuruk, a Korean fermentation starter. Like sake, and beer for that matter, makgollie varies based on producer, style and flavoring.

Owner Jade Kim believes her months-old business is the only makgollie bar in the Bay Area, if not the country. Though most Korean restaurants have one or two makgollie varieties, Zoomaak lists up to 15 on any given night. Because prices range from $3 to $6 a glass, you can taste an array in a night, including versions made with quinoa, black beans, raspberries and an herbaceous root called duduk.

Most carry a bit of fizz, similar to kombucha, and fall around 6 percent alcohol. Some are on the sweet side, like walmae or hyangyeon; others, like kyungjoo bupju, are dry and smooth.

Legend stipulates that makgollie carries medicinal and restorative qualities — you may disagree with the latter the next morning if you have too many — but it was a traditional drink in old Korean society for blue-collar workers thirsty after a long day in the fields.

At Zoomaak, makgollie is the perfect pairing for Kim’s wonderfully executed food menu: a short, concise list of small plates, with most dishes costing less than $10.

Kim has no formal culinary training, but as the eldest daughter growing up in Korea, duty fell on her to cook for her siblings. Her dishes at Zoomaak seamlessly dance in and out of traditional preparations. For example, there are no Brussels sprouts in Korea, but they’re on Kim’s menu, deep fried and tossed with rice cakes. Spicy, charred baby octopus atop warm mung bean sprouts is a perfect group dish for the middle of the table — nothing like the tiny portions that pass as “share plates” in too many restaurants these days.

It’s rare to see hotteok — filled, steaming pancakes, ubiquitous on Seoul’s streets — in San Francisco, but Kim does both savory and sweet versions; they are both must-orders. Another dessert is a version of patbingsu, feathery Korean shaved ice topped with red bean paste.

The kitchen’s best-seller is honey-glazed fried chicken, skewered with jalapeños and served with cubes of pickled daikon. You quickly understand how this is perfect drinking food.

Zoomaak takes its name from jumak — the Korean word for an inn or tavern that provided food, drink and a bed for travelers. Due to those travelers, a jumak often was a cultural melting pot. And that’s really what Kim is out to do: Share a bit of lesser-known Korean culture via makgollie and get away from cookie-cutter menus.

As she puts it, she wants to “remedy prejudice in Korean food and drink.” She designed Zoomaak’s space with the intent to make it bright and loud so people know she’s there: “That was my idea. Let it pop.”